The McKechnie Institute opened in 1889 thanks to the benevolence of a local businessman, Thomas McKechnie. Its architectural style is Scottish Baronial with some Renaissance detailing. The Architects of the Institute were McKissack & Rowan of Glasgow, who were also responsible for the design of Girvan Parish Church.
Science
Science
The teaching and learning of science can take many forms due to the large number of branches of the discipline, but all of them involve a large element of doing things, of experimenting, of making and breaking, of trying out new ideas, whether at primary or secondary level. This has been appreciated by museums and visitors centres, so that we now have a plethora of possibilities.
The Association for Science Education is the lead body helping schools to develop their teaching and learning. It offers support for primary and secondary science subject leaders, teachers and schools, and keeps schools abreast of curriculum and assessment changes and reforms. The Association aims to enrich science teaching and learning with free resources, which can be found at: www.schoolscience.co.uk
Some venues are obviously specifically suitable for science groups, but others, which are more cross-curricular, are less obvious. Below we give staff a pointer to these as well as making it easy to access the websites of the well known attractions.
CERN, the European Organisation for Nuclear Research, has long been popular with British school groups. It is celebrating 60 years this year and is encouraging teachers to look at its Cern Education website.
CAT, the Centre for Alternative Technology in Machynlleth, is also celebrating a major birthday this year – its 40th. It is a very different experience from CERN, but fascinating nonetheless.
The announcement in April 2015 that the new SKA radiotelescope is to be built in the UK will also be a huge boost for scientists looking for projects to follow and then visit as the telescope is built in readiness for full operational capability in 2025.
We should draw your attention to the fact that farm visits are popular with primary schools and there is a growing number of farms offering excellent opportunities – from feeding animals to driving tanks. But there are some stringent health and safety rules to be observed. For advice and guidance please contact Handsam by calling 03332 070737 or emailing trips@handsam.co.uk.
Main organisations:
Association for Science Education
Membership through Handsam
Radiation Protection Officer services through Handsam
Inclusion: NASEN
Thought of visiting?
Centre for Alternative Technology
Michael Faraday Museum, London
National Conservation Centre, Liverpool
Museum of Science and Industry, Manchester
Techniquest (various locations in Wales including Cardiff, Wrexham and Pembrokeshire)
Venues for this Curriculum
The Doon Valley Museum is located in a conversion of one of the oldest buildings in Dalmellington (dating from 1744). It was saved from demolition in the 1980s and now serves the community as a museum, art gallery and meeting place. Our permanent museum displays explore some of the rich heritage of the Doon Valley – with a focus on mining and how it affects the communities of the area.
17th century flour mill and ancillary buildings on riverside site
17th century flour mill and ancillary buildings on riverside site. Exhibitions telling the story of country life from 1800 to the present day. Collection of costume, furnishings and memorabilia.
A mansion located 2 miles (3 km) south southwest of Montrose, the present Dunninald Castle was built in the Gothic-revival style to the designs of architect James Gillespie Graham (1776 - 1855) for Peter Arklay in 1824.
One of the finest country houses in Scotland
Originally founded in the mid-13th century as a leprosy and plague hospice, it was remodelled and expanded in the mid-19th century by Patrick Allan-Fraser (1813-90), who served as his own architect. The building draws on mediaeval domestic architecture, resulting in a curious arrangement of Scottish Gothic, yet functional and with spendid, well-preserved interiors.
Situated 8 miles from Arbroath and 7 miles from Forfar on the A932, the House of Pitmuies is a category A-listed classically-styled mansion house that dates back to the late 1500s, though the grander west-facing front is believed to date from the 1680's and was "modernised" to the 18th century standard some two hundred years later.
A four mile section of the Kinnaber to Brechin line, between Brechin and the Bridge of Dun forms the basis of this important fragment of Scotland's historic railways.
One of the Seven Wonders of the Industrial World
The Bell Rock Lighthouse is the oldest surviving sea-washed lighthouse and is an outstanding feat of nineteenth century engineering.
The Club is dedicated to the preservation and restoration of historic vehicles, researching and sharing their history and enabling everyone to develop their related interets. The Club welcomes new members and visitors.
Visitors are welcome daily from 1 April to
30 September, 10am to 2pm. Entry is by donaton.
Based at Ninewells Hospital & Medical School, the collections of the Tayside Medical History Museum are among the finest in Scotland, showcasing the extraordinary history of pioneering medical research and practice in Dundee and the surrounding region.
Extraordinary collections of animals, birds, fish and reptiles from around the world, plus models, charts and other teaching equipment
The University's Zoology Museum houses many fascinating specimens from around the world. Most of them were collected by the celebrated Sir D'Arcy Wentworth Thompson, the first Professor of Biology at Dundee.
A wide range of objects of artistic, historical and scientific interest
The University has over 30,000 historic artefacts, artworks and specimens acquired during the 134 years of the institution's existence. These are cared for by Museum Services, which has been awarded Full Accreditation as a public museum service.
Exhibitions and Displays
RFC/RAF and wartime artefacts, pictures, memories and memorabilia housed in the wartime RAF Montrose HQ, depicting the story of the historic aerodrome which opened in February 1913, and various aircraft on display outside. Also recently opened to the public is a wartime pillbox with working field telephone.
History
Located in the old Town House in Kirriemuir, the museum describes the social, architectural and political history of the town and the Angus glens, using touch screen technology and CD-ROMS.
Many cities across the UK have some form of Transport Museum as a home for their transport history, vehicles, memorabilia, etc. so please join with us and support our campaign to bring our heritage home.
The Royal Research Ship Discovery returned to her home port of Dundee in 1986 where she was greeted by thousands lining the shores of the River Tay. In 1993 Discovery Point opened as a purpose built museum, visitor centre and conference venue playing host to over 150,000 visitors per year from both the public and business communities.
Signal Tower Museum is located near Arbroath’s picturesque and busy harbour, in a complex of buildings originally used as the shore station and family accommodation for the Bell Rock Lighthouse. Built in 1813, Signal Tower served the lighthouse until 1955.
An extensive range of material, worldwide in scope, which covers the whole of the animal kingdom
The museum’s displays are worldwide in scope, from protozoa to the great whales, including taxidermy, skeletal material, study skins, fluid-preserved specimens and models. Visitors are warmly welcomed to the museum, and there is no charge for admission, though we ask that children are accompanied by a responsible adult.
King’s Museum lies at the heart of the University's Old Aberdeen campus. As well as being Scotland's newest museum, it may also be the oldest as its origins lie in a museum collection established in King's College in 1727.
The result of 200 years of collecting, the Natural Philosophy Collection of Scientific Instruments is one of the most diverse in any British University
Resulting from over 200 years of collecting, the Natural Philosophy Collection of Scientific Instruments is one of the most diverse collections in any British University. The earliest material dates from the mid-18th century and the collection ranges from the simplest demonstration pieces to those that were state-of-the-art research equipment.
The Herbarium is the only significant plant collection in the north of Scotland. Within the collection, there is special emphasis on British (especially Scottish) and south-east Asian (especially Thailand) material. The Herbarium also holds notable collections from other European and Asian locations and from North America.
Established in the 1870s, the Anatomy Museum has a wide-ranging collection used extensively for medical teaching and training, including skeletal material, fluid-preserved specimens of human tissue, historical and modern models and works on paper. Of special interest are a set of 19th century anatomical watercolours and a series of anatomical drawings by Alberto Morrocco.
Since the restoration of this fascinating building in 2008, the museum and exhibition space is housed in what were the ground floor ice house chambers used in the salmon fishing operation. There is a small Bothy area complete with bunks where fishermen would have slept. This now houses our genealogy facility.
Kinnaird Head was the first lighthouse to be built by the Northern Lighthouse Board in 1787 and the only lighthouse to be built on top of a fortified castle. In 1824, the lighthouse was reconstructed inside Kinnaird Castle by Robert Stevenson, engineer to the Northern Lighthouse Board.
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